Legislation is moving along that would create a sales tax holiday for school supplies next year.

This week, the Ohio senate approved legislation that would set aside the first weekend of August 2015, for families doing back-to-school shopping to take advantage of a sales tax exemption. It covers school supplies and materials up to 20 dollars per item, and clothes up to 75 dollars per item.

The bill was penned by Republican State Senator Kevin Bacon, who represents part of Franklin County around Columbus. He expects the sales tax exemption to create a “Black Friday” type of excitement that would benefit retailers…and help families.

“School and clothing supplies, it’s very expensive for a family to start off the school year. And for many people, that expense really, really saps a lot of badly needed resources,” Bacon told WCPN last year.

The National Retail Federation says on average, families spent $670 on school supplies this year for grades K through 12. A University of Cincinnati study estimated that Ohio’s sales tax exemption will save those same families $38

Thirty years ago, some of the most bustling places in the state were shopping malls. These enclosed commercial districts were â€œpeople magnetsâ€, but, online shopping and a bad economy have hit the industry hard. Many Ohio communities are now struggling with redeveloping the abandoned properties.

Thirty years ago, some of the most bustling places in the state were shopping malls. These enclosed commercial districts were â€œpeople magnetsâ€, with packed parking lots, and a wide variety of popular shops, department stores and restaurants.

But online shopping and a bad economy have turned many of these mini-cities into ghost towns.

Larry James recalls Euclid Square Mall was hopping when he was a teenager.

“The parking lot was full, with people all over the place,” James said. “Great place to sit down and look at the water fountains and, you know, girl watch. … Then it just died.”

The fountains were shut-off years ago, former fast-food stands now sit shuttered, and tuxedoed manikins in store windows stare out at empty walkways.

Euclid Square was part of a mall-building boom in the 1970s, and it had a great location, near the intersection of two major interstates. But, then came the Great Lakes Mall, just a few highway stops away, and Richmond Town Square, just four miles down the road.

Real estate broker Kevin Cooney says that proved attractive to one of the Euclid mallâ€™s major tenants.

“May Company had a 25-year commitment to keep the doors open, and when that was up, they moved to Richmond,” Cooney said. “That was the first shoe to drop, so to speak.”

More Shoes

And the shoes kept dropping until late last month, when Euclid Squareâ€™s last anchor store, a Dillardâ€™s outlet, finally shut down. Cooney says the owner has been trying to unload the 71-acre property for years, but hasnâ€™t found any buyers.

Cleveland State professor of real estate development Robert Simons says an empty mall is a burden not only to the property owner, but to the community around it.

“Eventually it will be assessed by the tax authorities at lower than it was, which means its proportionate share of property taxes will go down. And itâ€™ll have fewer jobs, the income taxes will go down,” Simons said.

Rolling Acres Rolls No More

Rolling Acres, a once popular mall on the southwest side of Akron, is now largely abandoned. The Summit County fiscal office reports that the Akron schools are annually losing more than $67,000 in taxes from the deteriorating property, which is the subject of several YouTube commentaries.

Akronâ€™s Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Robert Bowman says any hope of re-using the land will depend on untangling who owns what.

“Sears, Pennyâ€™s, Dillardâ€™s and Target; those were the big box stores and they were owned individually. So it creates a problem in redevelopment when the mall goes down, and thatâ€™s entering a foreclosure process, we believe,” Robert Bowman said.

A Different Kind Of Mall

Across the country, communities have gotten inventive in finding new ways to re-frame former malls. Aquariums, schools and casinos have moved into spaces formerly occupied by shoe stores, record shops, and restaurants. One of the more unusual adaptive re-uses can be found back at Euclid Square Mall which is now home to 24 Christian congregations

Leonard Rowe is pastor for one of the newest churches to move in, New Vision Missionary Baptist. He says itâ€™s a similar concept to the traditional storefront church that can be found throughout the inner city, but in this case itâ€™s climate controlled and the parishioners feel safer.

“Itâ€™s something thatâ€™s appealing to the people, because people mostly came to the mall to do shopping,” Pastor Rowe said. “And here, weâ€™re just letting them know you donâ€™t have to shop for clothes, now. You can come shop for the Holy Ghost.”

Real Estate expert Robert Simons is dubious about the long-term viability of a mall full of churches.

“The best idea is probably to scrape the site flat and just build housing on it or whatever the highest best use is,” Simons said.

Of course, not all malls are dead.

Summit Mall in suburban Akron keeps pulling in customers, as does Great Northern in North Olmsted. And the formerly failing Parmatown Mall, recently got a $2 million loan from the Cuyahoga County Council for a makeover that will include a name change to â€œThe Shoppes at Parma.” Thatâ€™s â€œShoppesâ€ with an â€œEâ€ at the end. In a time when on-line shopping has reduced the need to physically go to stores, and young people meet their â€œfriendsâ€ on Facebook instead of by the fountains, you need every advantage you can get.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/10/29/ohio-communities-deal-with-after-life-of-shopping-malls/feed/0cleveland,Euclid,northland,retail,shopping,shopping malls,Southland,WestlandThirty years ago, some of the most bustling places in the state were shopping malls. These enclosed commercial districts were â€œpeople magnetsâ€, but, online shopping and a bad economy have hit the industry hard.Thirty years ago, some of the most bustling places in the state were shopping malls. These enclosed commercial districts were â€œpeople magnetsâ€, but, online shopping and a bad economy have hit the industry hard. Many Ohio communities are now struggling with redeveloping the abandoned properties.WOSU Newsno5:11Delaware County Township Rejects Outlet Mall Planhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/08/13/56187/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/08/13/56187/#commentsTue, 13 Aug 2013 11:50:12 +0000WOSU News Staffhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=56187

Trustees in a Delaware county township have denied a zoning request from developers of a planned outlet mall and recreation complex near the intersection of Interstate 71 and State Route 36/37.

Trustees in a Delaware county township have denied a zoning request from developers of a planned outlet mall and recreation complex off Interstate 71.

The vote last night in Berkshire Township doesnâ€™t spell an end to the planned outlet mall, auto dealerships, and sports facilities at the intersection of I-71 and State Route 36/37. Developers could appeal the ruling to a county zoning board, or ask nearby Sunbury to annex the land.

Last year, there was a 400 percent increase in thefts where the value of goods exceeded $500. City prosecutors attribute that to changes in state law, which increased the threshold between misdemeanor and felony theft charges from $500 to $1000 last year.

“The change in the amount has definitely changed the average of the value of each shoplifting incident we had in our statistics,” says Assistant City Prosecutor Bill Hedrick.

“Last year, the average shoplifting case we had was $99. This year it’s about $116, 117.”

Hedrick says thieves target a wide variety of items to steal.

“Large quantities of clothes; electronics is something you can get out in large amounts. I’ve had a few that have even tried to get out with over $800 in groceries.”

Hedrick adds consumers can expect to pay more to cover the value of stolen goods.

A retail industry group says holiday shoppers pulled back after Thanksgiving weekend.

The International Council of Shopping Centers says retail sales dropped more than three percent for the week ended December 1st.

Gordon Gough at the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants says Ohio consumers are balancing holiday spending while facing some economic headwinds.

“Consumers over the last few years have been paying down debt, and although incomes in Ohio have fallen a little bit over the last few years, consumers have paid down quite a bit of debt, as so that’s opened up some discretionary income for them to spend.”

Gough says the council expects consumers to spend four percent more this holiday season compared to last year.

While today is called â€œBlack Fridayâ€ in the retail world, one Ohio consumer expert says the entire Thanksgiving week now includes holiday shopping deals. I spoke with Ohio Universityâ€™s Ann Paulins who directs the school’s Department of Human and Consumer Services.

Ohio University Professor Ann Paulins tracks consumer habits.

Paulins says her advice is to shop around for the best deals and stick to a list so you wonâ€™t be surprised when the bills arrive in January.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2012/11/23/black-friday-deals-expand-for-holiday-shoppers/feed/0Black Friday,holidays,Paulins,shoppingWhile today is called â€œBlack Fridayâ€ in the retail world, one Ohio consumer expert says the entire Thanksgiving week now includes holiday shopping deals.While today is called â€œBlack Fridayâ€ in the retail world, one Ohio consumer expert says the entire Thanksgiving week now includes holiday shopping deals.WOSU Newsno4:17What’s Your Last-Minute Christmas Gift Advice?http://wosu.org/2012/news/2011/12/20/whats-your-last-minute-christmas-gift-advice/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2011/12/20/whats-your-last-minute-christmas-gift-advice/#commentsTue, 20 Dec 2011 11:00:49 +0000Mike Thompsonhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=20371Just a few days before Christmas. For those of us still looking for ideas, help us out. What's your last-minute gift advice?

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2011/12/20/whats-your-last-minute-christmas-gift-advice/feed/0Savvy Shoppers Hurt Grocery Saleshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2010/07/29/savvy-shoppers-hurt-grocery-sales/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2010/07/29/savvy-shoppers-hurt-grocery-sales/#commentsThu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000Debbie Holmeshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2010/07/29/savvy-shoppers-hurt-grocery-sales/Shoppers at local grocery stores are saving money, but that may not be good for some stores. The continued downturn in the economy led to steep drops in grocery store earnings for the parent company of Save A Lot. Shoppers on the near East Side claim they have to shop smart.

]]>Shoppers at local grocery stores are saving money, but that may not be good for some stores. The continued downturn in the economy led to steep drops in grocery store earnings for the parent company of Save A Lot. Shoppers at a store on the near East Side of Columbus are shopping smarter.

Brodina Williams unloaded her groceries after a shopping trip to the one year old Save a Lot store on East Main Street. Williams says she is happy the store is close to her home.

“Like here you get a lot of savings. There’s only two of us in our household and one child,” Williams said.

Over the past year, Williams changed jobs as a home health aid. Now she watches her grocery bill closer.

“Do you use more coupons now or you look carefully at the sales. Yes I do, I do, and I didn’t use coupons before but now I do because of the economy,” admitted Williams.

Save A Lot’s parent company Supervalu Incorporated reports that coupons and food-stamp usage continue to rise indicating a turn around in the economy has yet to arrive. Earnings for the company dropped by 41% in the first quarter of this year. Same store sales dropped 6.5 % during that time.

Shoppers like LaQuan Williams say their household budget is tighter and saving with coupons is a must.

“I just used a lot of them in there. They were looking at me like hey he’s cutting coupons. Yes I’m cutting coupons. I need money. How much did you save on coupons? Fifty dollars,” Williams exclaimed.

President and CEO of the Ohio Grocers Association, Tom Jackson says grocers have been hurt in several ways.

“”We have a very cautious consumer. They’re making a list at home and they’re bringing that list to the store and they’re following that list very carefully, which really kind of eliminates a lot of the extra sales if you will or the impulse sales,” explained Jackson. Save a lot shopper and mother of 5 Naomi Alexander says she doesn’t buy junk food as much since she trimmed her shopping list.

“Try to do the best you can. Look at prices, cause I ain’t never used to do that before, but now I look at prices,” laughed Alexander.

Jackson says stores also have suffered from lower prices.

“We’re suffering a lower sales not only because of the economy but also because we’re got deflation in dairy, we’ve got a little bit of deflation in produce and a little smaller portion of deflation in meat. And what that means is that I might be selling the same amount of milk I sold last year the same number of gallons, but I won’t have the sales numbers because my price is lower,” Jackson explained.

The slowdown in grocery profits caused some stores to change strategy. Instead of focusing on slashing prices across thousands of items, the stores are trimming the number of products they promote and are reducing normal shelf prices. Jackson says pricing the products fairly will help boost grocery sales.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2010/07/29/savvy-shoppers-hurt-grocery-sales/feed/0food,grocery,shoppingShoppers at local grocery stores are saving money, but that may not be good for some stores. The continued downturn in the economy led to steep drops in grocery store earnings for the parent company of Save A Lot.Shoppers at local grocery stores are saving money, but that may not be good for some stores. The continued downturn in the economy led to steep drops in grocery store earnings for the parent company of Save A Lot. Shoppers on the near East Side claim they have to shop smart.WOSU Newsno2:35In These Hard Times Give the Gift of Charityhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/04/in-these-hard-times-give-the-gift-of-charity/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/04/in-these-hard-times-give-the-gift-of-charity/#commentsTue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000Jerolyn Barbeehttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/04/in-these-hard-times-give-the-gift-of-charity/Nearing the peak of the holiday season, there are conflicting stories in the news. Home foreclosures are up, food pantry lines are longer while at the same time, retailers report a banner start to the holiday shopping season.WOSU commentator Jerolyn Barbee urges people to take note of the contradiction.

]]>I love thanksgiving— in all its too many people in your house, over eating glory. Getting stuffed full of my juicy, golden brown turkey and Aunt Suzy’s killer four-layer Death by Chocolate Cake is a pleasure I look forward to every year. To be honest, I love the whole holiday season, even with the crass commercialism of Christmas. It’s the time of the year when most of us take stock and count our blessings. . .making you think about the word Thanksgiving literally to give thanks.

I do give thanks for having a warm home, great family, a lovable mutt and plenty of food to eat. Like many people these days, I’m juggling my finances to make ends meet. But I give thanks that I don’t have to constantly choose between paying my utility bills, filling a prescription or buying enough food feed my family.

Unfortunately, many central Ohioans have to make these choices everyday. And it’s not just the poor and unemployed that are dealing with hunger. Working poor and middle class families are struggling to put food on the table for their families. Need proof? Food banks all over Ohio say they are getting more requests for assistance from working people. The jump in demand is outpacing supplies—forcing many pantries to reduce the size of the food packages given out to all seeking help.

The higher demand is being fueled by troubling economic times and the rising costs of living we’re all experiencing. At the same time, food producers are finding they have less to donate to food banks. And government food programs are experiencing major cutbacks.

Operators of food banks nationwide are worried that it could be a long hard winter for families who depend on their services. And with harsh winter weather approaching, making the choice between paying the rent, food and being warm a real challenge for a growing number of working class Americans.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual hunger survey said that more than 35 million people in the United States were hungry in 2006.

The Mid-Ohio Food Bank, headquartered on Columbus’ Westside, participated in this study. Our food bank reports that they served about 193,000 people annually—and they confirmed that most of our neighbors who turn to food pantries weekly are juggling housing costs that absorb half their income, escalating heating bills and gas prices, and unplanned medical expenses or car repairs.

In this land of plenty, it’s hard to fathom people going hungry. So what can you do? This is season of giving so instead of opening your wallet for every snazzy gift and high tech gadget you see, how about doing something in the gift receiver’s name to help a person in need?

The act of donating to our local food bank, or whatever charity you choose, could be the most special gift that you’ll buy. And service organizations are making giving as easy as buying a pair of shoes on-line.

Show your family that there is much more to the holidays than the latest tech toy. Give a spectacular gift to someone in our human family .and really give thanks.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/04/in-these-hard-times-give-the-gift-of-charity/feed/0barbee,giving,shoppingNearing the peak of the holiday season, there are conflicting stories in the news. Home foreclosures are up, food pantry lines are longer while at the same time, retailers report a banner start to the holiday shopping season.Nearing the peak of the holiday season, there are conflicting stories in the news. Home foreclosures are up, food pantry lines are longer while at the same time, retailers report a banner start to the holiday shopping season.WOSU commentator Jerolyn Barbee urges people to take note of the contradiction.WOSU Newsno3:11